mp->> What are some of the actions or projects that you have been involved in that were the most influential or made the biggest impact on you, both in terms of being personally satisfying to be involved in, as a process, and also that were effective?

Will->> Squatters Agency, maybe. Where we took over a small shop and advertised properties to squat. And it became sort of overnight an international news story. Yeah, that got me going a bit, really.

Jack->> He'd always wanted to be a shop owner!

Will->> Well, no, 'cause I remember the week before, we were setting up the Unemployed Center, and there was just a few of us around the table. The idea that this would become a big story with TV crews and people coming over from Russia to interview people, it was just quite amazing. 'Cuz it wasn't particularly anything fantastic, we'd just taken the shop and put a few photos in it.

Jack->> It was the idea though, weren't it, a squatters' estate agent?

mp->> Yeah, it's a great idea.

Jack->> The courthouse was inspiring.

Ray->> Reclaim the Streets, parties.

Jack->> Going out and giving SchNews out is inspiring enough. Getting letters from prisoners.

Ray->> Yeah, definitely.

Jack->> It's the day-to-day stuff that's inspiring. Demos and that aren't always that inspiring, but just the day-to-day meeting people and chatting to them.

Will->> Yeah, things like getting letters with donations, saying, "This is the only thing I read, and you've inspired me." And especially the prisoners, who are really cut off.

mk->> So you send a lot into the prisons here?

Will->> Well, we do send quite a few and we send some to stateside prisoners.

mk->> Are they free?

Will->> Yeah. Everything's free. And that is one thing that people can't quite understand. If you try and give 'em the SchNews, and they don't want it, it's often 'cause they think they've gotta pay for it. So, if you say, "Oh it's free," it's like, "Ooh, I'll have a look at that then."

 

• up to the top
  
• back to What actions have you been involved in?...

• Squatters Agency
  A 1996 action by Justice? in Brighton, as part of a nationwide Homeless Week organized by anti-homelessness organization SHELTER. The Squatters' Estate Agency posted listings of empty properties around Brighton, complete with descriptions, photos, & free info on the legal aspects of sqatting. The idea drew on the history of sqatting experience Justice? had accumulated since the Courthouse squat. Unexpectedly, the Squatters' Estate Agency became a national & international media extravaganza. Plans for the location of the Agency had to be changed, Operation Argus was born, & a building was secured by a crack team of Direct Action commandos. The eviction order came within 24 hours, but the Agency managed to stay open for ten days, fighting off the bailiffs' attempts to evict them. A few folks were successfully housed through the Agency's efforts, meetings were held, SchNews was produced, interviews were granted, documentaries filmed, & all in all it was a productive action highlighting homelessness, the lack of affordable housing, and the legality & effectiveness of squatting.
  
  ___________________________________________________________________________________

  Find out more on this topic by checking out the Index	back up to the interview
  ( Click your browser's [BACK] button to return to this interview page )